Myrtaceae

Myrtaceae, the myrtle family, is a family of dicotyledonous plants placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, pōhutukawa, bay rum tree, clove, guava, acca (feijoa), allspice, and eucalyptus are some notable members of this group. All species are woody, contain essential oils, and have flower parts in multiples of four or five. The leaves are evergreen, alternate to mostly opposite, simple, and usually entire (i.e., without a toothed margin). The flowers have a base number of five petals, though in several genera, the petals are minute or absent. The stamens are usually very conspicuous, brightly coloured, and numerous.
Evolutionary history
Scientists hypothesize that the family Myrtaceae arose between 60 and 56 million years ago (Mya) during the Paleocene era. Pollen fossils have been sourced to the ancient supercontinent Gondwana. The breakup of Gondwana during the Cretaceous period (145 to 66 Mya) geographically isolated disjunct taxa and allowed for rapid speciation; in particular, genera once considered members of the now-defunct Leptospermoideae alliance are now isolated within Oceania. Generally, experts agree that vicariance is responsible for the differentiation of Myrtaceae taxa, except in the cases of Leptospermum species now located on New Zealand and New Caledonia, islands which may have been submerged at the time of late Eocene differentiation.
Diversity
Recent estimates suggest the Myrtaceae include about 5,950 species in about 132 genera. The family has a wide distribution in tropical and warm-temperate regions of the world, and is common in many of the world's biodiversity hotspots. Genera with capsular fruits such as Eucalyptus, Corymbia, Angophora, Leptospermum, and Melaleuca are absent from the Americas, apart from Metrosideros in Chile and Argentina. Genera with fleshy fruits have their greatest concentrations in eastern Australia and Malesia (the Australasian realm) and the Neotropics. Eucalyptus is a dominant, nearly ubiquitous genus in the more mesic parts of Australia and extends north sporadically to the Philippines. Eucalyptus regnans is the tallest flowering plant in the world. Other important Australian genera are Callistemon (bottlebrushes), Syzygium, and Melaleuca (paperbarks). Species of the genus Osbornia, native to Australasia, are mangroves. Eugenia, Myrcia, and Calyptranthes are among the larger genera in the neotropics.
Historically, the Myrtaceae were divided into two subfamilies. Subfamily Myrtoideae (about 75 genera) was recognized as having fleshy fruits and opposite, entire leaves. Most genera in this subfamily have one of three easily recognized types of embryos. The genera of Myrtoideae can be very difficult to distinguish in the absence of mature fruits. Myrtoideae are found worldwide in subtropical and tropical regions, with centers of diversity in the Neotropics, northeastern Australia, and Malesia. In contrast, subfamily Leptospermoideae (about 80 genera) was recognized as having dry, dehiscent fruits (capsules) and leaves arranged spirally or alternate. The Leptospermoideae are found mostly in Australasia, with a centre of diversity in Australia. Many genera in Western Australia have greatly reduced leaves and flowers typical of more xeric habitats.
Taxonomy
The division of the Myrtaceae into Leptospermoideae and Myrtoideae was challenged by a number of authors, including Johnson and Briggs (1984), who identified 14 tribes or clades within Myrtaceae, and found Myrtoideae to be polyphyletic. Molecular studies by several groups of authors, as of 2008, have confirmed the baccate (fleshy) fruits evolved twice from capsular fruits and, as such, the two-subfamily classification does not accurately portray the phylogenetic history of the family. Thus, many workers are now using a recent analysis by Wilson et al. (2001) as a starting point for further analyses of the family. This study pronounced both Leptospermoideae and Myrtoideae invalid, but retained several smaller suballiances shown to be monophyletic through matK analysis.
The genera Heteropyxis and Psiloxylon have been separated as separate families by many authors in the past as Heteropyxidaceae and Psiloxylaceae. However, Wilson et al. included them in Myrtaceae. These two genera are presently believed to be the earliest arising and surviving lineages of Myrtaceae.
The most recent classification recognizes 17 tribes and two subfamilies, Myrtoideae and Psiloxyloideae, based on a phylogenetic analysis of plastid DNA.
Many new species are being described annually from throughout the range of Myrtaceae. Likewise, new genera are being described nearly yearly.
Classification
Following Wilson (2011)
Subfamily Psiloxyloideae
tribe Psiloxyleae
tribe Heteropyxideae
Subfamily Myrtoideae
tribe Xanthostemoneae
tribe Lophostemoneae
tribe Osbornieae
tribe Melaleuceae
tribe Kanieae
tribe Backhousieae
tribe Metrosidereae
tribe Tristanieae
tribe Syzygieae
tribe Myrteae
tribe Eucalypteae
tribe Syncarpieae
tribe Lindsayomyrteae
tribe Leptospermeae
tribe Chamelaucieae
Genera
127 genera are currently accepted:
Acca
Accara
Actinodium
Agonis
Algrizea
Allosyncarpia
Aluta
Amomyrtella
Amomyrtus
Angophora
Anticoryne
Archirhodomyrtus
Arillastrum
Astartea
Asteromyrtus
Astus
Austrobaeckea
Austromyrtus
Babingtonia
Backhousia
Baeckea
Balaustion
Barongia
Basisperma
Beaufortia – synonym of Melaleuca
Blepharocalyx
Callistemon – synonym of Melaleuca
Calothamnus – synonym of Melaleuca
Calycolpus
Calycorectes
Calytrix
Campomanesia
Chamelaucium
Chamguava
Cheyniana
Cloezia
Conothamnus – synonym of Melaleuca
Corymbia
Curitiba
Cyathostemon
Darwinia
Decaspermum
Enekbatus
Eremaea – synonym of Melaleuca
Ericomyrtus
Eucalyptopsis
Eucalyptus
Eugenia
Euryomyrtus
Feijoa
Gossia
Harmogia
Heteropyxis
Homalocalyx
Homalospermum
Homoranthus
Hypocalymma
Hysterobaeckea
Kanakomyrtus
Kania
Kardomia
Kjellbergiodendron
Kunzea
Lamarchea – synonym of Melaleuca
Legrandia
Lenwebbia
Leptospermum
Lindsayomyrtus
Lithomyrtus
Lophomyrtus
Lophostemon
Luma
Lysicarpus
Malleostemon
Melaleuca
Metrosideros
Micromyrtus
Mitrantia
Mosiera
Myrceugenia
Myrcia
Myrcianthes
Myrciaria
Myrrhinium
Myrtastrum
Myrtella
Myrteola
Myrtus
Neofabricia
Neomitranthes
Neomyrtus
Nothomyrcia
Ochrosperma
Octamyrtus
Osbornia
Oxymyrrhine
†Paleomyrtinaea
Paragonis – synonym of Agonis
Pericalymma
Phymatocarpus – synonym of Melaleuca
Pileanthus
Pilidiostigma
Pimenta
Pleurocalyptus
Plinia
Psidium
Psiloxylon
Purpureostemon
Regelia – synonym of Melaleuca
Rhodamnia
Rhodomyrtus
Rinzia
Ristantia
Sannantha
Scholtzia
Seorsus
Siphoneugena
Sphaerantia
Stenostegia
Stockwellia
Syncarpia
Syzygium
Taxandria
Temu
Tetrapora
Thaleropia
Thryptomene
Triplarina
Tristania
Tristaniopsis
Ugni
Uromyrtus
Verticordia
Welchiodendron
Whiteodendron
Xanthomyrtus
Xanthostemon
Ecology
Myrtaceae is foraged by many stingless bees, especially by species such as Melipona bicolor which gather pollen from this plant family. Some Australian species such as Tetragonula hockingsi and T. carbonaria are also known to collect resin from the mature seed pods of Corymbia torelliana, resulting in mellitochory as the seeds get stuck onto the corbiculae of the bees and sometimes are successfully disposed of by colony members that remove them. But usually, they get stuck in the hives or near hive entrances instead, hence also making it a minor nuisance for some keepers as they can take up a lot of space. Fortunately, this is only known to occur in the eastern areas of Australia, but could occur in other neighbouring countries where some Corymbia species are native.
Weevils in the tribe Cryptoplini mostly use Myrtaceae as hosts. Their larvae can develop in flower and fruit buds, or in galls (often galls already formed by other insects).
References
External links
Myrtales families